


Can't stand the heat

by pastel_dawn (neonkuro)



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, Porn with Feelings, Tender Sex, mention of battle scars, mentions of odin/niles, selena deserves love okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:22:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25770556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neonkuro/pseuds/pastel_dawn
Summary: An abnormal heatwave washes over Nohr and no one in the castle knows how to deal with it. An irritated, exhausted Selena finds herself dealing with an heatstroke and falls under the tender care of Lady Camilla. A sudden turn of events makes hidden insecurities resurface, but luckily Camilla is there for her.
Relationships: Camilla/Luna | Selena
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first FE fic! I'm a huge fan of this pairing so it was about time I wrote something about them. Here's a little challenge for you: drink water every time Camilla uses a pet name. Stay hydrated and be careful of the heat! Enjoy.
> 
> Biggest thanks to @Momo_Entertainment because she's an amazing beta and an amazing person in general.

Nobody thought such a warm summer could ever be possible in Nohr. Maybe everyone was too accustomed to its low temperatures to be able to stand even the slightest raise, but Lord Leo told everyone that kind of weather was actually abnormal. There was no trace of similar situations in any of the books regarding the kingdom's habitat. So yes, people were actually unprepared to face so much heat. At least, Selena was. And _it sucked._

She had been tossing around in her sheets for at least an hour, pajama stuck to her skin by a layer of sweat. Every now and then a growl escaped her lips, and a particularly loud one caused a creak coming from Beruka's upper bunk bed and her head's silhouette peeking down in the dark.

"Selena?" She called.

"Hmm?"

"I'm trying to sleep. Can you please stop growling?" Her tone was clearly heaved by sleepiness and exhaustion. Both of them had trained pretty hard that day, 

"No. It's too warm. I want to fucking peel out of my skin." Selena replied, her voice sounding more defeated than actually irritated. She could feel sweat drops rolling down her forehead.

"Growling won't make the heat disappear."

"I know!" Selena sighed and rolled on her side, looking for a fresher angle of her bed. It was pretty useless.

"Then stop." 

"Ugh. Fine."

Not knowing what to do to cool off - she had already taken a shower before going to bed and it didn't work - Selena put her feet on the floor and took her brush from the nightstand. Her hair had become really messy from all the tossing around, so she straightened them and tied them into her usual pigtails. 

"Beruka, I'm going out."

"Okay."

An emotionless answer, as usual. Selena sighed. Beruka had been completely apathetic even when she managed to beat her multiple times during their training that day. To her fellow retainer it hadn't been a big deal, but to Selena it had definitely been, and even just thinking about it made her want to throw punches.

She opened the door and the wood creaking echoed in the dark, empty corridor. Maybe she would find a lower temperature outside. She might even fall asleep somewhere in the gardens - and who cared if some royal saw her in the morning, face-asleep on the grass with her ass upwards, when it was THAT warm -. Okay, maybe she wouldn't have wanted Lady Camilla seeing her like that, but statistics were by her side this time. The gardens where _huge._ The probability of meeting royals was none to zero if she hid well.

The corridor was already less warm than her room as the wind came in by the large windows, which was a blessing. Selena yawned, stretching her limbs like a cat, and she might have as well started purring out of satisfaction if she didn't spot a pair of guards at the end of the corridor.

"Yo. Hellish night, huh?" She greeted to catch their attention, fanning herself lightly with her hand.

"Oh, hello miss Selena. Yes, it is a warm night indeed…" One of them replied. Selena knew him, they chatted sometimes.

"Aren't you both suffocating with that attire?" She asked, pointing at the apparently heavy clothes the guards were wearing.

"We are, miss." The other soldier confirmed, tightening his grip on his spear's handle. "But when in service we can't escape the dress code, no matter the weather conditions. Though it has never been as bad as tonight..."

"That's bad. When does your shift end?"

"At dawn, miss."

"Ouch…"

Selena patted them both on their shoulders and whispered _good luck_ as she walked past them. Sometimes the rules set by royalty could be a real bother. Something she didn't dare to say out loud though, despite her sharp tongue. Selena was honestly sorry for the soldiers on the night shift.

Especially considering that she, a retainer - not in service at the moment - was freely walking around the castle in her pajamas confiding no big shots would be around at that hour. If Selena spotted someone, she could just hide behind the tapestry. 

And apparently, she hadn't been the only one coming up with the idea of staying outside, because she spotted Laslow and Odin sitting on one of the balconies, sitting at a table which probably wasn't there originally.

"Hey, Selena!" Laslow called, not too loud. He was wearing much lighter robes than usual, and Odin too just had an unbuttoned shirt and a pair of short pants on. "You're awake, too? It's so hot tonight."

"Sadly. Staying inside is out of question, who cares if Garon wants us to stay secluded at night. What are you losers doing?"

Odin obviously made a weird pose before answering. Selena asked herself how he never got cramps. "Laslow and I are playing the noble game of cards! Do you wish to take in a challenge against the mighty Odin Dark, milady Selena?" 

Old fox. He knew well how to push Selena into doing something.

"Hell yeah. Destroying both of you could really help me actually cool off…" She smirked, setting her eyes on the cards scattered on the table with the addition of some dices. There was a lit lantern on the side. The moonlight was present, but not enough to see what they were doing.

"You seem confident, babe. But do not underestimate me, alright?" Laslow winked. His tone was always upbeat and kind, even when he openly - and annoyingly - flirted. They have known each other for a very, very long time, but his attitude had been very much always the same. Same went for Odin. It made Selena feel extremely comfortable in their presence despite everything. Playing and spending those hours of the night with her friends was actually more appealing than crashing somewhere unknown. She was lucky Lady Camilla and the other royal siblings had declared the following day as a day of rest, considering that battle training in that weather was too draining. Selena felt indeed quite exhausted. But company was nice. Made her feel a bit closer to home.

As Laslow was shuffling the cards, a familiar voice broke the silence, making them all jolt, and making Odin squeal lightly as he landed eyes on the owner of said voice.

"Look who is breaking rules here. Didn't expect to find the whole mystery trio sitting outside, in plain sight, at this hour."

It was Niles, and he was very much in just his underwear. He stretched his muscles to show off his body and some bones popped. Selena snorted, Laslow let out an incredulous laugh and Odin almost fell down from his seat.

"N-Niles! Wearing such a bold outfit while wandering around the castle like a prince lost in dark woods, it is not befitting of a retainer of Lord Leo..."

"I'm not in service, no royals around, it's hot as hell. Who cares?" Niles simply replied, taking a seat beside him. "If someone comes, they'll just enjoy the view. Like you're doing right now, Odin."

If Selena knew her best friend, Odin was basically as red as a tomato by now. 

"Wow, not even one minute here and you already made things weird, Niles." Selena commented, not in a snarky manner, just with the usual amount of sharpness everyone was used to. Niles laughed heartily.

"Making things weird is one of my many talents, Selena. I can't say I don't enjoy it. By the way, are you playing cards? I'd like to participate." 

"Fine to me, the more the merrier. Anyone wanting to bet something?" Laslow asked changing the previous subject, probably to get things back to a comfortable space. "You know, just to spice up the game a little."

"I do." Odin said, his head leaned against the table and his hands raised. "If I happen to win, Niles has to at least put a shirt on." Selena understood Odin had just gone through an absolute gay panic from the fact he stopped talking weirdly. That was the major signal he could ever give off. 

"Hah, no way." Niles patted Odin's shoulder, and Laslow chuckled seeing his friend's soul basically leaving his body. Selena let out a half laugh too. The guy was just too obvious. Not that she didn't know what was going on between those two.

As Laslow shuffled the cards, Selena's thoughts made a brief deviation. She asked herself how Lady Camilla might have been dealing with the heat. Selena knew her liege was a long-and-warm baths type and absolutely despised showers, but bathing with that temperature would have been too much. Her fatigued braincells made an absurd flip and she started worrying about the possibility of Camilla passed out in her bathtub… 

_Should I go and check on her? I know she usually bathes around this time but I don't want her to collapse in her bathtub… but what if she is already sleeping? I don't want to wake her up… but anyway if I go and knock and she is bathing..._

"Wyverns on your mind, Selena?"

Niles' voice came in and the bubble of her thoughts popped loudly. She hadn't noticed Laslow was giving her cards.

"Wyverns…? Peculiar phrasing." She replied, shaking her head and ungracefully grabbing her cards. She had a bad feeling about Niles' words and a certain figure came to her mind.

"Well, it's not random. You're pretty distracted, lately. Even while you train, and even if you're training much more than usual." Niles commented, putting his hands behind his head. "I wonder what or who might be the reason."

"Must you always spy on everyone and everything, Niles?"

"I can't help it, sweetheart. Although, I think I might know already. I see the lilac printed on your eyes."

"Niles!" Selena banged her fist on the table, her eyes opening wide and additional heat creeping up her face. Was Niles about to out her? "Stop it!" 

"H-hey… let's calm down, shall we?" Laslow whispered, putting his hand on Selena's shoulder. "We shouldn't attract attention…"

" ...sorry." Selena lowered her head. "I just…"

"There is nothing wrong with it, you know that, right?" For the first time since he arrived, Niles' tone was not mocking, but almost kind. Selena managed to take a deep breath.

"What are you two talking about, anyway?" Laslow asked, as he checked his cards. 

"My oblivious friend, our companions are clearly speaking about our lady Selena's romantic interest in the lilac rose, which she tried with all her might to keep hidden in the dark. Lady Camilla is very likely the subject of this heated conversation." Odin replied, and Selena risked choking on her own spit.

"What? Was I the only one who didn't know?" Laslow asked, just a fraction of a second before Selena spoke.

 _"You knew?_ " Selena asked. She felt like passing out for real this time. Her head spun. That should have remained a secret.

"Nothing escapes the eyes of Odin Dark!" 

"Oh…" Selena groaned and her head fell on the table. She hoped they wouldn't start making questions about it. Her feelings for her liege were something that made her feel guilty, and she didn't want to talk about it.

"So, uhm… is it true?" Laslow asked gently. "I had a feeling but didn't think too much about it. Lady Camilla has a strong appeal on everyone."

"It's true…" Selena sighed. "I didn't think it was so evident."

"Clear as the day." Niles slapped the first card on the table. "Will you act on it?"

"That's… this is not the time to talk about it. I have three nosy friends to destroy first." She replied, with newfound determination in making Niles pay for bringing up the subject. 

"Bring it on."

* * *

An hour later, after many rounds of playing cards - in which she destroyed Laslow and Odin as she promised but disgracefully lost to Niles - and after the arrival of Peri, who was just wandering nonchalantly around the castle until she eventually spotted them, Selena felt her head become even more dizzy. She needed to sleep and the low chatter of her fellow retainers was beginning to hurt her ears. Her eyes went constantly in and out of focus. Maybe it was time to retire and try to sleep seriously. 

She stood up, but her hand grasped the table as her head spun. No one seemed to notice as they were all deeply invested in discussing about their last fight against enemies - Peri seemed to enjoy a lot describing the way she killed them. Good. She didn't want anyone fussing over her, even if she was really feeling like shit now.

"Ahem. I'm retiring for the night. Goodnight, losers." She announced with her trademark smirk plastered on her face. No one had to notice she was about to collapse.

"Oh, goodnight Selena. See you tomorrow." Laslow bid her goodnight and so did the others. Niles even winked to her and she was tempted to show him her middle finger, but she didn't. She just turned around and walked, with uncertain steps and poor balance, towards the entrance of the corridor, but didn't see the person who was standing right on it. She bounced on something soft and the recoil made her step back and yelp. 

"Hey, watch your st… what?"

Her eyes went wide as they laid upon Camilla's surprised face. She had just two seconds to take in the fact her liege was there, because her vision went almost black, her legs buckled, and she collapsed.

The impact with the floor never came. She barely registered the pair of strong arms that were holding her and Camilla's voice calling her name muffled to her eardrums. Her body decided it was better to close her eyes. She didn't pass out, but her senses became numbed. An arm wrapped around her shoulder to keep her standing. She heard steps and other muffled voices which were becoming clearer by the second. Her friends were approaching and she could sense their concern. 

"...Selena?!? Are you…" 

"Such a horrid circumstance…!"

"Guys, please leave her space to breathe. Selena? Can you hear me?"

Selena tried to lift up her eyelids. She was successful, to find her head on Camilla's shoulders and concerned gazes all on her. She looked like she had seen a ghost and she definitely didn't like it.

"Lady Camilla." She replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Thank you for helping me. I'm fine now. It's been just a moment."

As she tried to detach herself from Camilla - that close proximity in such situation wasn't doing her good -, an hand came to lift her head and her hooded eyes met burgundy, sharp ones.

"You're definitely not fine." Her soft tone quickly switched to a harsh one when she spoke to the others. "Did any of you guys notice she was feeling unwell during the whole time you've been here making noises and breaking the curfew?"

"Not really, Lady Camilla…" It was Laslow the first to speak, sounding sincerely sorry. "I did notice she was tired, but…"

Okay, now Selena had to do something. She knew how scary Camilla could be when angry, and as weak as she was, witnessing her liege roasting her friends while recognizing it was her fault wasn't acceptable. Being the best retainer meant admitting her mistakes when she had made some, Selena knew that. And she was the best, obviously.

"Lady Camilla, please, it's my fault. I've deceived them. I've masked my condition the whole time."

Well, she didn't expect the surprised chorus of _ooh?_ coming from her fellow retainers, but this time Selena would let it slide. She just wanted the general attention to stop, go back to her room and _sleep._

"Then this becomes a whole other matter. Felicia, go wake up Elise and tell her to come to my room. Selena, you come with me. _Now._ And the rest of you, retire in your quarters. It's an order." Camilla spat sharply.

"What…?" Selena questioned, taken aback by the sudden order.

"You heard me."

That said, Camilla linked her arm under Selena and led her away, the younger girl throwing a frightened glance to her friends. She could tell Camilla wasn't pleased at all.

"Uhm…" Laslow murmured, looking at the other three with a weird expression. "Will Selena be fine?" 

"I don't know. Lady Camilla looked pretty angry." Niles replied. He almost looked entertained by the whole situation. "Perhaps things will get interesting, though."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see tomorrow morning."

* * *

When they arrived in front of Camilla's bedchamber, the older woman opened the door and lightly pushed Selena in. The latter couldn't bring herself to raise her head, feeling ashamed for some reason. She felt like she had enraged her liege, even if it wasn't her intention at all, and couldn't understand why Camilla brought her there. Maybe to scold her? To punish her in some way? But wasn't a punishment too much for such a thing? She just needed to rest, that was all. If it wasn't for that damn heat…

"Go sit on the bed, Selena." Camilla ordered, and Selena obliged, not wanting to anger her even more if she tried to protest.

She heard quick footsteps and more heavy ones approaching to the room. A smiling Elise appeared on the door, glasses and pajama on and a carrying a big book with her.

"Here I am, big sis! What do you need?" She chirped. From inside Selena could see Effie and Arthur standing outside. Those two followed Elise at any time of the day. "Oh, hi Selena!" The girl greeted, and Selena greeted back with a small _hi._

"Thank you for coming, Elise. I need you to visit Selena. She is feeling unwell and she didn't look out for help." Camilla told Elise, and if to someone who didn't know her that tone could have seemed normal, Selena heard the tinge of annoyance. Was really what she did so bad to push royalty to act on it?

"A visit? Here, Lady Camilla?" Selena asked, her cheeks setting on fire. How in the world did she end up in this situation?

"Here and _now,_ my dear retainer." Camilla sounded so pissed that Selena shut her mouth and didn't dare questioning again.

"O-kaaay, will do in a minute. A lot of people here in the castle are feeling bad today, so many cases of heatstroke. That's why I'm still awake, hehe." Elise told them. Selena raised her eyebrows. She wasn't the only one, then.

"That's really unfortunate... You've been visiting patients until now, then?" Camilla asked, genuinely surprised. 

"Yep! But the servants have been helping me, don't worry. When needed, Effie and Arthur help too."

"It's a pleasure to serve you, Lady Elise." Her retainers both spoke from outside, in unison.

"Yes, thank you! So… Selena, what are the symptoms?" Elise asked, and she looked really professional. Selena felt uncomfortable anyway. 

"Uhm…" Selena murmured, unsure. She could bet Camilla's eyes were piercing her constantly. "I started feeling dizzy today, after my training. My eyes are burning and my head hurts a lot… I feel limp, in general. I just shook it off when it started. I thought I just needed to sleep. But it was too warm and I didn't manage, so… I went outside to cool off." She admitted. Nothing wrong with it, right?

"And then? What happened?" Elise pried, sounding like a grown-up doctor. She started taking stuff out of her pockets. "I can already tell you look devastated."

"I… well-"

"She almost passed out. If I wasn't there she would have collapsed on the floor." Camilla intervened, her arms crossed.

"Passing out it's a no-no. I'll visit right away." Elise went to the door and poked her head outside to speak with her retainers. "Guys, I'm starting the visit so I'll close the door. Camilla will help me if needed so no worries, okay? Wait for me!" And so, the girl closed it. Then she turned and put the book on the bed, near Selena, and started taking weird stuff out of her pockets.

 _That's it, here comes my death sentence,_ Selena thought, shifting uncomfortably while sitting at the foot of the bed. _Pretend Camilla isn't here, Selena. Pretend, pretend..._

Well, it wasn't exactly easy to pretend such a thing while feeling Camilla's eyes constantly piercing her skin and observing her every move. But she could always try.

* * *

It was safe to say Elise basically flipped her in every direction in order to visit her, but Selena was sure she was putting in extra effort because it had been Camilla who asked. 

According to Elise her temperature had risen - actually she did feel really dizzy so it wasn't much of a surprise - and her body was thoroughly exhausted. 

"NO training for at least the next three days. You need to rest. And remember to apply a fresh cloth on your body from time to time, especially on your forehead. You must cool down, understood?" Elise had declared, while putting back her instruments inside her pockets. "Besides, now that I think about it, I have seen you training extra hard in the past few days. Don't do that! Rest!" 

Selena did feel a bit guilty now. But she had a reason and couldn't shake it off just like that. Also, three days without training? Out of question. 

"Three days? But…" She tried to question, but…

"Sorry, you need to if you don't want to feel your muscles and bones falling apart." 

It was incredible how much Lady Elise changed when she did the doctor thing and the way she knew how to terrorize people. Selena shivered.

"And I want to play with you soon, so please!!!"

That was the usual Elise pleading with doe eyes. Selena almost rolled hers, but she didn't. She knew Elise meant good.

"Okay. I will…"

"Yay! That's good!" 

Seeing the princess' smile contributed to Selena feeling a bit better, especially since if she turned her gaze just a bit to the left, her eyes would meet a glacial sight. Camilla was clearly still pissed, but at least she was smiling too, now.

"Don't worry Elise, Selena will rest. It will be a direct order from both you and me, so she can't escape it, can she?" Camilla detached herself from the wall and slowly walked towards the bed to pat Elise's head. "You've done an excellent job, darling. You may go and rest too, now."

"Hehe, thank you big sis! Then, good night, both of you!" 

"Uhm… good night. Thank you, Lady Elise." Selena said in a small voice, 

"Rest well, Elise."

After Elise closed the bedchamber's door behind her, Selena's nervousness horribly spiked up. Now she was alone with an irritated Camilla and that couldn't possibly be good. She fidgeted, not knowing what to do. Should she get up and ask permission to leave? 

"Selena." Camilla called, and Selena slowly raised her head to meet her gaze. 

"Yes, Lady Camilla?" She swallowed. Camilla's proximity was making her feel slightly trapped.

"Care to explain why you've been exhausting yourself the past few days?"

 _I knew it,_ Selena thought. _Should have expected her questions._

"I… uhm." Selena began, uncertain. Tired. "I was… I understood I was becoming sloppy in my training, or something like that."

Camilla sat on the bed beside her. She didn't have ice in her eyes anymore, but she was waiting for Selena to explain more. "And why is that, my dear?" She asked. Now came the part Selena hated more.

"...I've lost to both Laslow and Beruka while we were training together." She confessed, and that _hurt._ Admitting in front of Camilla and especially herself that she had lost. "All in the same day. I couldn't stand it. So I…" She interrupted herself. Her pride stood in the way and she couldn't just push it to the side. 

Camilla didn't say anything. Instead she got up and just walked towards her bathroom, not even glancing at Selena, leaving the girl utterly speechless. Wasn't she worthy one minute of attention now? An ugly feeling bubbled up in her chest.

But she heard sounds. It seemed like Camilla was filling up something with water. Could it be…?

And then Camilla got out of her bathroom with a bucket in hand and a few cloths in the other. Selena's eyes went wide. 

"Lady Camilla?"

"You've heard Elise, darling. You need to cool down, so that's what we're gonna do. I'll help you cool down your body. Besides…"

A hand flew to Selena's forehead.

"... you're really burning up." 

Camilla sat again beside her and soaked one of the cloths into the water.

"Milady… I appreciate it but I don't deserve the attention." 

Camilla looked at Selena and started cackling, making the latter almost literally lose it for one second.

"Why are you laughing?" Selena dared to ask, struggling to keep her tone calm while talking to her liege. She did not want to snap with Camilla. 

"Knowing how needy you are, it's hard to believe words like that, Selena. The issue isn't _not deserving_ my attention right now. I know you need it, I'm here to give it to you." Camilla sounded a bit stern, but affectionate. Selena would have been lying if she said she hated the attentions her liege was giving her. Simply, this time felt _different_.

Selena looked at her bare feet - wait, had she been walking around barefoot…? - "I don't understand, milady. Maybe it's just because I'm so tired, but…" 

"One of the liege's duties is to keep an eye on their retainers, Selena. Ensure they're well. You've been worrying me for at least a month, and today you collapse right in my arms. I can't possibly just sleep like nothing happened." Camilla then put a knee right at the side of Selena's thigh and raised herself up enough to put the soaked cloth on Selena's forehead. "Keep it on your forehead, darling. Is it fresh enough?"

Taken aback by Camilla's words, Selena obeyed without complaints. She didn't know Camilla would do something like that for her and not just ask Felicia or one of the other maids to do it. 

"It's fresh, milady. Thank you." 

"Very well. Can you turn around for me now?"

Confused, Selena did as she was requested. Camilla was humming a sweet tune while soaking another cloth.

"So you lost to Beruka, hm?" Camilla asked from behind her. Selena flinched, it stung like a knife piercing her flesh. She didn't answer right away. Tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "Weird, you two had always been on par."

"We were. I think I was slightly better actually, because you know, I'm always number one in everything I do. Absolutely the best retainer ever. Yes." That was something Selena said proudly, although… "But now I'm… uh… not in shape, maybe. I'll do better."

The water drops made nice sounds as they fell back in the bucket from the cloth Camilla was squeezing. They weren't helping Selena really relax as they should, though. The soaked cloth on her forehead felt like a miracle, but she wasn't cooling down at all. Camilla's words were stinging her ego like bees.

"I have indeed noticed your distraction on the battlefield. You often lose focus and it took me, Beruka and other soldiers to make up for your mistakes several times. Now, that's not something very becoming of the number one retainer, is it not?"

Now that was a nosedive into a glacial sea for Selena. It hurt hearing Camilla talk like that. She squirmed. She was lucky Camilla couldn't see her face in that moment.

"I'm sorry…" She mumbled, trying to mask her trembling voice. A mix of rage and desperation coursed through her veins, hearing her most beloved person put all her flaws right in front of her. It was true she was distracted all the time now, because she had too many thoughts going around in her head. One over the others, her confusion about certain feelings she had for a certain someone and then a nauseating homesickness. "Will you fire me, Lady Camilla? Find another retainer?"

Nothing but silence came from behind as an answer, and that sickened her to the point she had to turn around again to look at Camilla. She regretted having done so. Camilla's eyes were terrifying. 

"I would do that if I thought mistakes can't be corrected. And if I thought mistakes can't be corrected, you wouldn't be here now. I'm not about to fire you. I don't know why would you think something like that."

"I'm sorry…" Selena repeated. That was another mistake on her part. 

Camilla sighed heavily.

"Sometimes I wonder if everyone thinks of me as some kind of a heartless monster…" Camilla confessed and Selena almost jumped.

"That's not true! I don't think you are!" The redhead quickly replied, drowning those absurd words with her high-pitched tone. "I think you're wonderful, Lady Camilla!" 

Well, if Selena didn't bite her lip like crazy after that sentence. A smirk appeared on Camilla's face and the younger girl averted her gaze. A blush crept up her neck and reached her ears.

"Can you repeat what you just said, honey?"

"T… That I don't think you're a monster?"

"No, the following part."

Selena's eyes widened again. She was sure by now Camilla was a sadist.

"That I think you're wonderful?" She stuttered. 

_Oh lord..._

Camilla's expression softened. Actually, she smiled so wide her eyes disappeared. But then she dropped _the_ bomb, with all the calm in the world.

"Take off your shirt, dear."

Selena needed a moment, then two, then three, before taking in what her liege had just said. 

"What?"

"You heard me."

That's when the retainer started panicking. What in the world was her liege asking of her in such a moment?

"B-but why, milady?"

"Because you're sweating a lot and I need to wipe your back."

 _Oh, so that's what she meant. Phew…_

"Oh… okay. Understood."

Selena proceeded to turn around and start removing her shirt, not without a certain reluctance. She didn't really like exposing her scarred body and Camilla's judgement was the only one that mattered the most for her. At least, her front wasn't directly exposed. She couldn't help but feel self-conscious. Even her body was something people used to compare to her mother's.

"No bra, Selena? Didn't expect this from you."

"No bra? What do you…? HUH?"

Her hand flew on her shoulder and she realized with horror that Camilla was right. She was so dazed that she completely forgot to put on her bra before leaving her room. Her jaw dropped.

"What a naughty retainer I have... " Camilla chuckled, wiping Selena's upper back with the new cloth. "I might have to punish you for such a lecherous conduct." 

"Lady Camilla! I swear it's not how it looks like! I just forgot-"

"Calm down, Selena. I'm just teasing."

Selena pouted. Camilla wasn't really helping her cool down. Quite the opposite, actually.

She kept the shirt up with her hands to cover the front. She was convinced of not being able to stand further embarrassment in such conditions.

Camilla kept applying the cloth on her skin and Selena felt like being in heaven. So much that she almost let out a small moan, but promptly swallowed it. 

Her right hand went back to hold the other wet cloth on her forehead. It was like finding an oasis in the desert. She could have done that alone as well, but feeling cared for was doing the trick much more. Although her feelings were a bit of a mess in that moment.

"So..." Camilla extended her hand to the redhead and she understood Camilla wanted to dip back the forehead cloth. "May I know what's the reason behind such distraction, dear? I'd love to help if possible. I can't allow you to put yourself in danger out there."

Selena swallowed, and this time it was for a much worse occasion. She couldn't tell Camilla what her thoughts where focusing on about just like that. She'd probably lose her job, maybe get kicked out of the castle and left to starve in the streets of Windmire.

She gave back the cloth to Camilla and pondered her options. Confessing was out of question. Selena was sure Camilla didn't need a mere, low-rank retainer to uselessly pine after her. Maybe she could talk about her homesickness. But how could she do that without putting both Camilla and herself in danger? No, it was too risky. But then what excuse could she put up?

Camilla noticed Selena was unusually silent and much less snarky than usual. Whatever thing was bothering her, it must have been something big.

"Selena?" She called, giving back the cloth to the girl. 

"Sorry! Uhm… Actually, I…" 

Selena clenched her fists and bit her lip. She didn't want to make Camilla wait. She knew the more she avoided her questions, the more Camilla would pry. Eventually, the woman would find out whatever thing she was hiding. She had to think of something, and quickly.

Unable to stop her nervousness, she kept humming. Her legs began shaking and that wasn't a good sign. Her own heart thundered in her ears so loud that she was absolutely sure Camilla could hear it too. 

"Uhm… I… Lady Camilla…"

"Oh, my… what's with the shaking, darling? Is your secret something so big that's making you _this_ nervous?"

Selena felt the bed shifting and arms wrap around her. Camilla leaned her head on her shoulder. The redhead's brain basically started playing ping-pong at that point.

"It is. I'm sorry, milady."

"You're apologizing way too much for your usual self, my dear. Since you're feeling unwell, I won't ask questions for now if it does make you uncomfortable, but I must admit I am always curious when it comes to you. I don't know if I can keep my curiosity to myself much longer."

Camilla's whispers sent more and more shivers down her spine. How much Selena wanted to just turn her head and kiss her…

"You really do want to know it?" Selena asked. She bit her lip. Maybe she should stop now. What if her tongue started rambling all her feelings out? It would be a catastrophe. An apocalypse. 

"I do." 

Camilla planted a kiss on her cheek, and Selena's face became so red that she felt like exploding.

"But you need your sleep now."

"Huh? Oh, yes…"

Camilla detached herself from Selena and got up, walking towards one of her closets. Her liege was right, it was so late into the night and she probably needed to get up and go back to her bedroom now. She made sure Camilla wasn't looking in her direction before putting back on her - disgustingly - sweaty shirt, and then tried to get up on her feet. Her head spun terribly at first try, but she should have been able to reach her room without passing out. The temperature had dropped compared to before, so this time falling asleep was very much an option.

"I think this would be lovely on you… uhm? Selena, where are you going?"

Dumbfounded, Selena looked at Camilla right in the eyes and then her gaze fell on the shirt she was holding in her hand.

"I'm going… back to my room? You said it's time to sleep, milady, and I'm going."

Camilla looked at her as if she were some kind of weird animal.

"Selena… that's just nonsense. You're sleeping with me tonight."

"What?!?"

"I need to be sure you will actually fall asleep. You know, I used to sing lullabies to my dear Corrin back in the day. She used to have trouble sleeping, but she always slept like a rock when I was there. I think it might be just the same for you."

Selena was so shocked that her mouth was hung open. She stared at Camilla for long, painful moments.

"My… are you doubting my singing abilities? You'll see I'm fairly skilled in that art."

"N-no! That's not it! It's just...!"

Selena had to sit back on the bed. The world was turning upside down, somehow.

"Me, a mere retainer… sleeping _in your bed_ , Lady Camilla? I'm never gonna hear the end of it if the others find out!"

"So? Let them talk."

Camilla slowly walked towards her. Selena could swear there was a sway in her hips, but it could just be a trick of her mind.

"It's a privilege the most of them is never gonna get, is it? Something most people here in Nohr would even kill for. While I'm offering it to you for free. Tell me, Selena…"

Camilla's index went to tip up her chin. The look in her eyes was something Selena had never seen before. 

"...do you still want to refuse my offer?"

If there ever was an afterlife, Selena thought it was where that violet eye was sending her. Even Camilla's voice had dropped much lower in tone. At this point she thought she was starting to hallucinate.

"No… no, Lady Camilla. I don't want to…"

She was too tired, too entranced, too enamoured to notice the vulnerability she was showing. Camilla made a little smile.

"Very well, my dear. Always obedient. That's how I like you."

Selena's heartbeat was running so fast. The vibes her liege was giving off were dizzying her - or maybe she was just tired - and she didn't know anymore which was reality and which was a dream. She took the shirt Camilla gave her and, much to her own surprise, she didn't ask her to turn away while she changed. A breath intake came from her right. Her act was quick, though. Didn't leave Camilla much time to indulge on her almost naked figure- not that she thought Camilla would, obviously.

"Good girl. It really suits you." Camilla said, speaking about the shirt. It was a deep blue one, pretty simple but elegant. The material felt heavenly on her skin, really something a princess would wear. "Now lay down. I'll be there in a minute."

Selena obeyed. She laid on her side and closed her eyes, listening to Camilla's movements. It was so quiet she could even hear her breathing.

She would be lying if she said sleeping in Camilla's bed didn't make her nervous, but right now the it felt soft and fresh, too inviting to turn down the charm. She already felt more relaxed than earlier.

After a minute or so, Camilla came back to the bed. She blew the candles in her room and everything got swallowed by the dark.

Much to her surprise - or maybe not -, Camilla shifted closer to cuddle her and even went as far as wrapping a leg around hers. There was surely no escape, but it wasn't like Selena wanted to flee. 

"Good night, my dear." Camilla whispered, wrapping her arm around her waist and giving Selena a kiss on her hair.

"Good night, Lady Camilla."

That said, Selena fell into a deep, cosy slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

_Selena was standing in the empty throne room, a few feet apart from the throne itself. She didn't remember why or how she got there and she looked around to see if someone else was there too._

_There was no one, though. She was alone… or so it seemed._

_Her ears were caught by the sound of far steps echoing. She turned around completely and saw Garon approaching, followed by the entire royal family. She swallowed. Garon was terrifying on his own, but the look on the siblings' faces was even worse. Especially the apparent scorn on Camilla's face. Selena literally started shaking in her boots._

_"Aaah, there she is." Garon said, his voice dark and monster-like. "One of the little leeches we caught hanging around the castle and gambling past curfew."_

_Garon walked past her and sat on his throne, his children standing close to it. It looked like a trial and Selena already wanted to cry._

_"But this poor excuse of a retainer has done something much worse. Am I right, Camilla?"_

_Selena widened her eyes. What in the world was Garon talking about? And why was she the only one receiving such treatment if both her friends and her were outside?_

_"Yes, you are right indeed, Father." Camilla confirmed, sweet venom in her voice. "This… thing right here, declared her… love for me." She said it as if she was talking about some kind of disgusting disease._

Thing??? _Selena screamed inside her brain, more confused than ever._

_"Hey!" Selena yelled, incredulous. "You all went completely nuts, I see. I've never declared anything of the sort!"_

_"Enough, pleb! You have committed an unforgivable crime. How dare you fall in love with my daughter, princess Camilla of the mighty kingdom of Nohr? You shall be sentenced to death, or worse."_

_Selena was starting to completely lose it there. Her hand flew to the handle of her sword. It was unbelievable._

_"Then kill me yourself you giant pile of-"_

_She didn't finish the sentence, instead she roared and ran towards Garon, swinging her sword, but as she tried to pierce his neck, her blade bounced back and made a ridiculous sound._

_"What the-"_

_"MUAHAHAHAHA! Don't you know my powers? Everything that touches me becomes a rubber chicken!"_

_It was true. There was a rubber chicken in her hand that squeaked when she squeezed it. Irritated, she threw it away._

_"Lady Camilla! Why don't you say anything?!?" Selena yelled, stomping her foot on the ground while Garon laughed like an idiot._

_"I don't know what you want me to say." Camilla replied, shrugging._

_"Yeah, what do you want her to say?" Elise intervened, pouting. "You didn't even follow my orders, Selena! I told you, you had to cool off, instead your clothes are catching fire! What's your excuse?!?"_

_"Catching what- HYAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"_

_Yes, Selena's clothes were indeed catching fire. She ran around and tried to extinguish the flames with her hands, screaming because it was useless and she was gradually becoming more exposed._

_"Don't worry Selena, it's not as bad as it seems!" This time it was Niles who talked, coming out of nowhere and wearing only a pair of boxers with ducklings on them._

_"Shut up, Niles! I'm not a nudist like you, come here and help me!"_

_"SELEEEENAAAAAA!!!" Laslow's voice came from behind. Selena felt him body slamming her to the ground and yelped hard._

_"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU MORON???"_

_"I'm covering you up! Saving your modesty!"_

_"YOU COULD HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT GROUNDING ME- LASLOW, I'M CATCHING FIRE! GET OFF ME!"_

_Garon was laughing even louder and spitting saliva around and so were Xander and Leo. Selena grunted and various curses left her mouth, while her eyes searched for Camilla, who looked completely uninterested._

_"I hope you all choke."_

* * *

Selena gasped. Her lungs were begging for air and she took deep breaths, lifting herself on her arm. It was still night and Lady Camilla was still cuddling her. That mess was just a dream, luckily. An horrendous dream, but still a dream. 

She felt Camilla stir behind her and a hand coming to caress her hair.

"Selena? What's the matter?" Camilla asked, her voice groggy. 

"I'm sorry milady, I didn't mean to wake you up." Selena apologized, wiping away the sweat from her forehead and from her neck. "Just had a nightmare, that's all." 

She felt Camilla's hand remove her hair from her sticky neck. Selena was just now realizing how much she was sweating. 

"Do you wish to talk about it?" 

"No… not really. It would not be… uh, proper."

"Are you sure?"

Selena just nodded, and Camilla caught the gesture even if it was still dark.

"I won't ask for now, then."

Selena wanted to get up and wash herself again but her limbs felt really heavy, and combined with Camilla's welcomed proximity, made it hard deciding to actually doing so. Just, the fact that Camilla was leaning against her drenched back without batting an eye was bothering her a lot.

"Milady." She called, determined to do something. "I'm… sweaty. Resting against my back is… well, is it okay if I turn around?"

Camilla giggled. Selena felt her release her grip on her body and move slightly away from her position, but then Camilla slightly pushed her shoulder down to make her lay on her back.

"You're so considerate of me, Selena. Always had been. I'm lucky to have you as my retainer."

That confession was so sudden and Camilla's tone was almost _sultry_ . It definitely made Selena's heart race like crazy. Her eyes had yet to adjust to the dark and she couldn't see Camilla well but she could feel her breath on her skin - _damn, was she so close? -_ and wanted nothing more than to cup her face and kiss her deeply. It wasn't the first time Selena felt such a desire, such an _urge_ , but it wasn't like she could act on it anyway. Or…?

"Well, uhm… thank you, milady. I… well I care about you. Yes, I care about you a lot."

Okay, now Selena didn't know which demon had taken over her to make her say such things, but… she felt it was right to do so, in that moment. Maybe because it was the dead of the night and they were sleeping in the same bed after Camilla had made sure she was taken care of… she had plenty of time to regret her mistakes afterwards.

"Oh… trust me, I know." Camilla whispered, and a finger went to trace a line on Selena's cheek." But hearing you say it flatters me."

Selena swallowed nervously. Camilla might have been casting some sort of a spell on her, because keeping her mouth shut was becoming more and more difficult. Also, it wasn't like Camilla was actually doing something to put a distance between them. Selena still felt her proximity and it looked like her liege wasn't going to move further any time soon.

_Think about the chicken. Selena, think about the chicken. You don't want to be mocked by the royals, you don't want to be body slammed by Laslow while you catch fire. THINK ABOUT THE CHICKEN, SELENA-_

"You know… I've been wondering a lot about the possible causes of your distractions."

Selena's heart stopped for a moment. Her liege was a smart woman with eagle eyes. She hoped Camilla hadn't found out, but she wasn't able to be subtle about things. Her brain quickly went into overdrive, thinking about possible situations in which she might have shown something more than simple admiration.

"I think I might have found one, and I want to do something to help you. But this will depend on the answers you'll give to the questions I'm about to ask you, my dear."

_Here it is… here it comes my death sentence. Please let it be something else, please please PLEASE!_

"First, I think we just slept a few hours as it's still dark, but… are you feeling better?"

_Huh?_

Now that she noticed, Selena felt that a lot of the dizziness from the heatstroke was gone. The one she felt now was the from the lack of sleep, but it was much less destructive, luckily.

"Yes, I'm feeling better Lady Camilla. I think I'm just sleepy, now."

"Very well, that's an important step ahead. Second… and I want you to give me an honest answer. Have I made myself clear?"

"C-clear as the day."

There was a pause. If Selena hadn't been panicking, she would have been listening to the gentle night sounds coming in from the open window. But she was panicking, indeed. She felt like a kid who'd been caught stealing candies from a shop, but much worse.

There was a movement. Camilla's weight shifted on the bed, and…

_HUH?_

Part of this weight landed right on her other side and warmth surrounded her thighs. That could mean just one thing. That Camilla was _straddling her._

The sky was becoming clearer, and that meant sunrise was close. Selena could make out Camilla's outlines now. Something inside her throbbed terribly.

"Say, am I one of the reasons, Selena?"

Selena's hand flew to cover her own mouth as she yelped in surprise. Her heart was beating like a drum, so much that she heard it with her own ears. It was to be expected that Camilla would find out sooner or later. But _so_ soon? 

"I… Lady Camilla, I'm… I'm mortified!" Selena stuttered in a small voice, unable to spit out a lie, as she tried to slip away from Camilla, but the princess kept her trapped under her body. "Please forgive me… I…"

Again, a finger posed on her lips and Selena closed her mouth. She squeezed her eyes, her absurd nightmare replaying behind her eyelids, the coldness from the oneiric Camilla echoing in her brain. She didn't think she could stand something like that happening in reality.

"There is nothing to forgive, my dear." 

A hand landed near her shoulder. Selena dared to open her eyes again.

"Huh…?"

"I've been knowing for long. You aren't good at hiding your feelings. I can read you like an open book, and I've caught the love in your eyes for quite some time."

The remaining hand landed near the other side of her head. Selena was even more trapped, but the redhead didn't want to run away from Camilla as she expected she would. Instead, she was listening carefully.

"You poor thing. Knowing you, you must have been torturing yourself about it for all this time…"

There was no tease, no mock in her liege's voice. Camilla's words felt genuine and for the first time in an eternity, Selena felt a bit less of a complete wreck.

There was another movement. Selena saw Camilla lower her head, slowly dip towards her until she was much closer than she'd ever been. A last whisper got past the older woman's lips.

"But if I was to give you a chance and end your suffering, would you have the courage to accept?"

If Selena didn't know love couldn't actually kill her just like that, she would have worried about her heart bursting in her chest. It was like the world had exploded into a million pieces and was recomposing itself into reality, but with an important difference.

Many, many thoughts rushed inside her brain all at once, many questions, many worries, but for once all that mess felt just _meaningless_. 

"I love you. I love you more than everything else, milady." Selena finally confessed, with no regret or restraints. Camilla had proven to her she could be trusted a million times and it wasn't any different now. "I've devoted my life to you… I… do you really want to give me a chance? Am I worthy of it? I'm just a lowly retainer..."

"If you were just a lowly retainer to me, my dear, you wouldn't be here. I've already told you, haven't I? And I tell no lies. I care about you, Selena. I know you better than anyone else on this land, and I like every little thing about you. Every quality…"

Camilla's hand palmed her stomach and Selena gasped. She felt her raise her shirt and expose her belly, and although Camilla couldn't really see her flawes skin yet, Selena felt the urge to hide it again.

"... and every flaw."

Deft fingers traced imaginary patterns and that feathery touch made Selena's back slightly arch. She ended up in a different dimension, an alternative reality in which she could love Camilla without fearing anything. A little corner in time and space that had been carved out just for the two of them. 

"Tell me what you want, darling. I want to know every fantasy that lulls you to sleep at night."

It was hard to think in such situation, with Camilla speaking to her like that. It was hard to tell what was the right thing to do or to say. Selena could now only act on her feelings and that's what she was going to do.

"T-Touch me. I beg you. Touch…"

Camilla giggled, and repositioned her body to let Selena some space to move, but she kept close and it was where the redhead wanted her to be.

"Beg no more. At least, not for now."

It was then that Camilla cupped her cheeks and kissed her. 

Plump, soft lips pressed against thinner ones. Selena had never felt before something like that, the rush of emotions and the bolt of electricity that shot through her body and reached her deepest cores. She was inexperienced but it didn't matter, all she wanted in that moment was to _feel_ Camilla, to make sure this was no dream, no heart-clenching fantasy.

Selena slipped her hands on Camilla's lower back and pushed her down. Her body was soon enveloped by softness and warmth, the kind she had longed for an eternity. Camilla's lips felt as divine as she always suspected. 

When they broke the kiss and gasped for air, Selena felt completely dazed. Camilla's hands left her cheeks to settle on her hips and a leg wormed its way between her own. The older woman knee definitely went really _high_ because the redhead had to stifle a moan. She was almost sure it wasn't unintentional.

"Hm? What was that?" Camilla asked teasingly, a little bite to her lower lip. Selena recognized the change in her liege's tone and understood that she wasn't going to be just all fluffy and sweet for much longer. She shivered in anticipation.

"N-nothing, milady…" Selena tried to say, but that knee was moving again and the whole sentence came out as an inconsistent string of vows.

Camilla hummed as she gave Selena another kiss, but this time her lips were working in pair with her teasing knee and she swallowed all of Selena's little moans. The redhead's mind was basically already floating on a cloud and whatever moral thought or restraint she could have about the situation was about to fly out of the window.

Then, Camilla's tongue poked out. She gave a lick to Selena's lips and the younger girl instantly granted access, much to her liege's joy. 

Things got more heated when Camilla's tongue began exploring Selena's mouth, meeting with her own tongue. The wet sounds and warm sensations were driving the latter mad, who quickly slipped her fingers under the hem of Camilla's nightgown.

"M-milady…" Selena called, breaking the kiss for a moment, panting hard. 

'It's Camilla. Not milady." Camilla said, her breathing ragged as well. Her grip on Selena's hips was still vice-like.

"A-alright… Camilla…" Selena gasped, her pupils dilated from their activities. "Please, let me."

Although outside it was still fairly dark, they could now see each other more clearly. The want in Selena's voice made Camilla inhale sharply. She was definitely restraining herself to not overwhelm her newfound partner, but it was hard not to take Selena completely in that precise instant.

Her hands guided Selena's and soon her shirt was discarded somewhere on the floor, leaving Camilla's torso bare for Selena to see, and touch. 

The sight alone hit the retainer like a hammer. Camilla's form was perfect in every inch and the long hair crowned it like the body of a literal goddess. Selena took in the sight, complete with the proud but loving expression of the woman.

"I must confess I haven't felt like this in a while." Camilla threw her cascading hair behind. Selena would've never thought she would be able to witness this view in this life. The thought buzzed in the backside of her brain as Camilla's hand came to feel her stomach again. "A lot of people look at me with only lust in their eyes… but when I look at you I see genuine care. That's why I grew a strong fondness for you as well. To answer your question…" 

Two fingers pinched Selena's hard nipple through the fabric on the shirt, and the sensitive girl yelped.

"Yes. You deserve it, and I'll show you."

Selena's breath was ragged and her brain threatened to shut down. She felt a mix of love and lust coursing through her veins, her heart pumping blood furiously. Camilla's touch was something she wanted for so long and now her stupid clothes and stupid ego were getting in the way. 

So, she grabbed Camilla's hips.

"Sorry, Camilla…" She said, panting, and shifted the both of them, until their positions were reversed. Camilla seemed pleasantly surprised because she let out an appreciative _oh_.

Selena was now on top and the one straddling the other. Her private parts came in contact with the older woman's leg but she did her best not to grind, not yet.

Selena looked directly at Camilla, who looked genuinely curious and indeed happy. Her hands grabbed the hems of her own shirt. The thought of her scars and her general self-consciousness got in the way again but she shook her head, hoping Camilla hadn't caught that moment of hesitation. 

Like removing a band aid, she removed the blue shirt Camilla had given her and her round breasts bounced slightly. Selena was bare and it felt terrible on the side but she loved and trusted Camilla like no one else. And Camilla had already accepted her.

"My my…" Camilla sultrily whispered, eyes half-lidden. "I finally get to see you." 

"Y-yes. Uhm…" Selena slowly pushed down her hair ties, while the other's touch wandered on her abs. Her long hair flowed freely, messy and damp, but that was something that would be fixed in the morning. "Camilla, I am yours. I've always been, ever since I came to Nohr and you took me as your retainer. I want you to know it. To me all of this is surreal and I- I don't think I can restrain myself any-... ah..."

Right in the middle of her sentence Camilla moved her leg, teasing her, and Selena lost whatever braincell she had left. The older woman cupped her sensitive breasts and Selena moaned loud, losing herself in the sensation. 

"I've got the message, my love. Let our bodies to the talking now." Camilla whispered, prompting her to lean down to kiss her passionately once again, putting in a bite or two on Selena's lower lip from time to time. Whatever inexperience burdened the redhead's shoulders seemed to vanish in that moment, the only things she felt were her body entangled with Camilla's, the absolute love she had for her, and the woman's very essence.

Camilla, Princess of Nohr but more importantly the beautiful, kind-hearted and smart woman she was, loved her back. And that was enough for Selena to feel on the top of the world. 

Camilla's lips detached from hers with a loud pop and quickly went to attack her neck. The spot right under Selena's ear proved to be a weak point, and when she started sucking on it the girl became a moaning mess, her core setting on fire. Camilla bit her earlobe and _growled_ softly as she did. That simple gesture sent sparkles right to Selena's center. The redhead's own hands fondled the liege's soft and warm breasts, feeling the heavenly texture, and then explored every corner of unclothed skin. Selena wouldn't have traded that moment for anything in the world.

Camilla grabbed her asscheeks and she whimpered. Apparently, they were another weak spot, and the girl began grinding them against the woman's hands.

Relentless, Camilla's mouth worked to leave purple marks on her thin neck. That amount of sensations alone almost threw Selena over the edge. Her hips lowered more to seek friction as she became impatient, her arousal only increasing with the passing second. 

"Someone is eager…" Camilla commented with a content sigh. "I must do my best to satisfy your expectations, then."

"Milady… I m-mean, Camilla… ah…" Selena whimpered as her still clothed clit brushed against Camilla's leg.

Camilla grabbed Selena and switched their positions, coming back on top of the redhead. She bent forward, enough for her breasts to hover on Selena's face. 

"I'll take care of you. But before that, do me a favor, darling… I want to feel that pretty mouth of yours on me." 

Selena would never dare question her liege. She obliged, latching her mouth around one nipple, fondling the other breast with her hand. She licked and sucked enthusiastically and even gave light and tentative bites from time to time, making Camilla mewl in delight.

"Yes… k-keep it up… hah…" A series of disconnected words came out from the lilac-haired woman. In the heat of the moment Selena grasped the meaning of just a few, too focused on her task and on the wet warmth between her own legs. She tugged down Camilla's panties with her free hand, drawing her finger on her now bare side. The need to touch her was equal as the need to be touched by her, and so she wanted nothing more that make her feel good as she could.

"M-my…" Camilla gasped, a smile forming on her lips. "I love it when...ngh... you get brave… you're quite the spectacle on the- ah! Battlefield… I-I'm happy to know it's the sa...aaah… me thing in bed…"

Selena stopped sucking and hooked both her thumbs on the panties. She took them off slowly and Camilla squirmed, revelling in the sensation of having herself being stripped by her dear retainer, now hopefully partner. With a little help the underwear was discarded on the floor along with the rest of her clothing. 

The redhead could barely breathe. Taking in the sight of Camilla as a whole was something else entirely. Her eyes fell on her full hips and thighs and timidly peeked at the tiny patch of trimmed hair between Camilla's legs. She tentatively palmed Camilla's sides, sliding her hands until they reached her buttcheeks and gave a squeeze. It was all so new and overwhelming but it felt wonderful. 

Her liege hummed contently, caressing her cheeks and prompting her to connect their eyes. She passed her thumb on her lips.

"It's your turn, darling." The want in Camilla's voice was so evident. It was the first time Selena felt wanted. And she was wanted by the woman she loved so deeply, nonetheless. Maybe she could have died happily on the spot.

Then Camilla winked, and Selena reconsidered dying already.

She still had her shorts on, but Camilla's deft fingers were already working. Not only, she leaned down to plant feathery kisses on Selena's chest while tugging down at her remaining garments. Camilla's tongue licked her right nipple and Selena's back arched. Then the woman's mouth came down on her body, leaving behind a trace of wet kisses as she slowly descended, until Selena's shorts and panties were pulled past her feet and sent to keep company to the abandoned clothes on the floor. 

Now the both of them were completely bare against the early morning's air. Selena's first instinct was to clamp her legs together as she felt how much she was dripping down there, but tried to relax herself and not clench them together that hard. An intrusive thought wormed its way into her mind. Deep down she knew she had nothing to fear with Camilla. It was just a bit hard to deal with the lingering uneasiness left from the years of criticism and comparison. Selena involuntarily tensed, and a new sentiment of fear came to sit right beside the excitement, the arousal and the deep love.

Camilla obviously noticed something was wrong by the way Selena wasn't budging. As much as the girl wanted to open those damn legs, the uneasy, unworthy feeling told her brain not to do so, not to let Camilla take her, that she wasn't enough.

"Selena?"

The redhead barely looked at her, bit her lower lip hard. Camilla immediately went from the foot of the bed to her side. Selena sat up and hid her face in her legs.

"What's wrong?" Camilla asked, searching for her hand and squeezing it reassuringly. "Are we going too fast? Do you want me to stop?"

"No!" Selena yelled in reply, unintentionally, and Camilla got taken aback by it. Selena lowered her voice, apologetic. "No, I don't want to stop. I've wanted this, dreamed about this for so long! I don't want to stop, and I love you, but I have this… this…" She gestured to explain to Camilla how her head was exploding. "I… I want to be the best at everything I do! But how can I be worthy of someone like you if I become useless in combat? How can I be worthy when I'm not even near at how beautiful you are?" _At how beautiful she was_ , Selena thought. The image of Cordelia popped up into her mind with the worst timing possible. "That's why I've been straining myself so much. I need to be strong and I want to be strong for you! But I feel unworthy as I am becoming weak and I can't even do anything to change this useless body!"

Her confession made her feel much heavier and much lighter at the same time. She herself understood better why she had been so impatient in attempting love making with Camilla, despite that damn bitter feeling that gnawed at her gut and made her retire into her shell. She was desperate to prove herself.

Camilla said nothing. She just stared at her for what felt long, long seconds. Maybe she was studying her? Or thinking? Selena didn't know, but her silence reminded the one from her absurd nightmare and it scared her.

"Camilla, please say something. I beg you." Selena pleaded in a small voice. In that moment couldn't stand the silence.

Then, and arm slipped around her waist. Camilla pressed her lips on Selena's cheek and rested there, much to the latter's surprise. Somehow, that little gesture felt more intimate than anything they did until that moment. 

"My love, you can be such a foolish girl sometimes." The woman whispered, kissing softly the reddened cheek. Her free hand rested on Selena's thigh. "Your battle prowess is admirable. You're the strongest girl I've ever met. The opinion of some ignorant fool you met along the way doesn't have to matter to you."

The sudden praise made her inhale hard. It was really good for her broken ego to hear her liege speak like that.

"And I absolutely don't know what are you talking about. The more I look at you, the harder it gets for me to keep my hands to myself. You're beautiful on every front."

Selena swoon, her heart beating fast. The hand that was on her thigh slid towards her center. Her fingers prompted Selena to open up, and this time the girl couldn't resist at all. She let them open enough for Camilla to work.

"Good girl. You're such a good girl, Selena. You're my favorite. You're worthy of everything I can give you" Another kiss on the cheek and this time it was wetter, harder. Some mechanism in Selena's head must have switched on as a warm feeling spread across her chest. She was weak to praises and especially when they came straight from Camilla's mouth. Hearing those words was making her lose her mind.

Her focus became hard to keep when Camilla's thumb grazed her clit.

"But one thing I must ask of you, darling." 

Camilla's index teased her entrance and Selena let out whimpers, which became progressively louder as Camilla applied more pressure with the passing time.

"H-hah… W-what is it…?" Selena managed to ask in a high-pitched voice, even if she was cozily cradled in Camilla's arm, with the older womans's hand working between her legs and her warm lips on her cheek.

Camilla's index slipped inside her hole and Selena almost let out a scream.

"Don't. Ever." Camilla began, thrusting inside with every word, preparing the girl for more. Selena was a whimpering mess by now.

"Do this. To yourself." Camilla added a second finger and Selena moaned loud, throwing all her reserve to the wolves. Her hips thrusted to meet Camilla's fingers, the feeling of them moving inside her making her absolutely go crazy.

"Again. Understood, dear?" She finally finished, her tone severe and demanding. Her fingers were thrusting hard, hitting all of Selena's sweet spots, curling inside of her. The girl's legs buckled as she moaned Camilla's name, gasping for air, her own hands gripping hard enough on Camilla's shoulders to leave her fingernail marks.

"C-Cami… ah! Hah… y-yes, I've und… under… haaaah… haaah!" 

Selena was already close. Really close. Years of pent up frustration brought her there. She had never felt such pleasure when touching herself. She had never felt like that in general, so happy and fulfilled. Loved. It was new, and it was beautiful.

But it was the last addition of a full-tongue kiss on her mouth from Camilla that made her definitely tumble over the edge.

Selena let out the loudest moan she had ever made and Camilla swallowed it all. The redhead's fluids gushed out and spilt all over Camilla's hand, staining the covers below her. The woman helped her ride out her orgasm and her legs gave up in the end, flopping down on the bed as her upper body flushed against Camilla. She was completely spent, contented, happy. For the first time since a long time Selena felt at home. Camilla was her home now, wasn't she?

The woman lowered their bodies on the pillows, taking out her fingers from Selena's core and happily licking them right in front of Selena's eyes. The girl's face couldn't possibly get any redder.

"How are you feeling, Selena?" Camilla then softly asked plopping on her back beside Selena, prompting her with her arm to rest her head against her chest. Selena obliged, dazed from her state of absolute bliss. Everything was Camilla in that moment. Absolutely everything.

"I feel… happy." Selena replied, snuggling against Camilla's naked body.

"Then I'm glad." Camilla planted a kiss on her head. The sun was rising and the light poured into the room, enveloping everything into its warm light. They could see each other clearly by now, but Selena wasn't worried anymore. Camilla had proven to her Selena was worthy, and that she cared, and that was all that mattered.

"Hey. Uhm…" Selena began, after a few minutes of recovering. "You didn't get to…"

"Oh, don't worry about that, sweetie. We'll have plenty of time to play from now on." 

Selena bit the inside of her cheek, hiding her face into Camilla's chest, not quite believing what had just happened and the situation they were currently in. She hoped this wasn't another dream, but everything felt way too real to be a dream. 

"Can I ask you something, Camilla?"

"Of course. What is it?"

Selena clung to her tighter. She almost feared Camilla would suddenly vanish. It was childish, but she couldn't quite stop it.

"When did you fall for me? I thought it was never gonna happen."

Camilla hummed, thinking. While she did, she stroked Selena's arm.

"You know, I can't put a finger on the exact moment it happened. I just knew, when it did. I couldn't help it. You're too adorable. And there are so many things I could list that I absolutely love about you."

Selena raised her head to see Camilla smiling. Her heart jumped just seeing it. She had the urge to give her a peck on the lips, and she did. 

Camilla took advantage of that gesture to cup her face and take a better look at her hair.

"It's the first time I get to see you with your hair down. You're so gorgeous, darling."

Selena blushed and smirked, extremely pleased by that compliment. 

"Well, it was the first time for me seeing you with a ponytail, too. I could give you some tip on how to tie them up a little less… uh… messily, though. Sorry."

Camilla let out a hearty laugh.

"Of course. I admit I'm not too skilled in doing my own hair. But nobody is perfect, am I right?"

Selena thought she couldn't possibly love Camilla more than she already did. She wanted to say Camilla was wrong, because she was indeed perfect to her. But the girl didn't give a voice to her thoughts. Instead, she chose to get something else out of her system.

"Another thing, Camilla."

"Oh?"

"It's about the dream I had…" 

Camilla shifted on her side, wrapping herself around the girl to cuddle her even more. Neither of the two wanted to let go of the other anytime soon.

"Speak, baby. I can say it's bothering you."

Camilla stroked her hair, waiting. It was so relaxing that Selena could fall asleep just like that, but it wasn't the time yet.

"It was absurd. In my dream I was in the throne room. At first it was empty but then king Garon arrived with the rest of you royals following him. He said he wanted to execute me because I had the audacity to fall in love with you and confess, and you were… you were completely indifferent about it all. I tried asking for an explanation, because I had actually never confessed before… but he just told me to shut up and that I was going to die. And none of the people there cared. Then, somehow my clothes caught fire and Lady Elise scolded me for it because she had previously told me to cool off my body. The fire didn't hurt, but the flames were baring me in front of everyone and king Garon and your brothers mocked me… you didn't bat an eye the whole time. In the end, Laslow came out of nowhere and bodyslammed me to the ground to… save my modesty. While I was still catching fire. That's it."

 _Like hell I'd mention the rubber chicken and Niles,_ Selena thought. It felt stupid enough to talk about that dream without those details already. They could serenely go to hell.

She waited a few seconds for Camilla's reaction. Which… wasn't coming. Selena raised her head.

To find her stifling her laughs.

"Hey! What's so funny about it? Camilla!"

"I'm sorry… you're just too cute for your own sake, darling."

"King Garon wanting to kill me wasn't too cute in that dream. And you neither. I was hurt!" Selena complained, pouting.

"Sorry, sorry. I can imagine it." Camilla squeezed her tighter. "But I assure you, the real me wouldn't let anything like that happen. If someone from my family will complain about us, I'll talk some sense into them." There was a finality in Camilla's voice that reassured Selena on many levels. She imagined the woman swatting that damn rubber chicken on Xander's head and cursed her stupid brain for the chuckles she had to swallow.

"Thank you, Camilla."

"Oh, don't thank me. If I know you, and I know you like the back of my hand, that dream came straight from your insecurities. I will help you overcome them and understand how wonderful you are. But right now, we should sleep a bit more. You must be exhausted."

A rush of feelings washed through Selena, who indeed was feeling exhausted now that Camilla had made her notice. She simply closed her eyes, feeling thankful for the chance the universe decided to give to her, and drifted off to sleep with Camilla's heartbeat as her lullaby.

* * *

Selena showed up at lunchtime in the dining hall. She was all fresh and clean, feeling much better than the previous days and humming contently as she made her way towards the food. She had previously snuck up into her own room to pick up clothes and obviously didn't find Beruka. Who knew what the girl was off doing in a free day from work. Probably in the armoury sharpening her axe, knowing her.

Selena filled up her plate and spotted Laslow sitting at one of the tables, chatting with other soldiers.

"Hey there." Selena greeted, sitting at the table nearby.

"Oh… hey, Selena." Laslow had a strange look on his face. As they saw her the soldiers quickly left that table, knowing well Selena's sharp tongue, her temper and the frequent arguments she had with the man. "Are you feeling better?"

"Cowards." Selena commented about the soldiers, but in that moment she couldn't care less. "Yes, I'm all better, Laslow. Thank you."

She picked up her fork and started stuffing her mouth, hungry as she hadn't eaten anything since the day before.

"You look happy." Laslow chirped, chewing on a roasted potato. 

"Do I?" Selena asked, sliding in the seat next to his as he was alone now. 

"Yes, you do. I was really worried about you, so I'm glad to see you like this." 

"Heh. You're a good friend, Laslow."

"What? A compliment? This is way worse than I've imagined."

"But please, if I ever catch fire, don't bodyslam me. I'd rather throw myself in a river."

"What the- what has Lady Camilla done to you?!?" 

"That's pretty obvious, Laslow."

Niles popped up from nowhere and Selena yelped, took by surprise. A dread feeling crept up her spine.

"Niles!"

The former outlaw plopped down in the seat in front of Selena and she winced. He was the last person she wanted to see in that moment.

"What do you mean, Niles?" Laslow asked, attacking a pickle.

"That tonight something interesting actually happened. It's written all over her face."

"Niles…" Selena began. "Shut up."

"Oh, don't be all embarrassed now. Say, she was on top, right? She looks like someone who-"

"NILES!"

A replay of their last conversation was happening but it was probably way worse. Selena's face was so red it was becoming purple and she had to restrain herself from punching Niles.

"Oh, you mean… OH!" Laslow blushed too as he understood, lowering his head. Suddenly, his pickles became really interesting for him. "Did it…?"

"I'll smash this tray on both of your heads if you don't just shut up." Selena commented, fuming. 

"Friends, the chosen one Odin Dark has arrived! What's all this commotion, if I may ask? The shadows are wrapping around this table as if it was a delectable prey. Darkness is falling, despite the sun being high up in the sky!" Odin arrived and he was the cherry on top of the happy brigade. Selena wanted to throw some headbutts around.

"I'll inform you quickly. Selena and Lady Camilla apparently did the do." Niles teasingly said, munching on an olive, and Selena wanted to disappear through the ground.

"The… do?" Odin asked, confused. "What's the do?"

"The… ehm, do, Odin. When you and someone… you know?" Laslow intervened. Selena was feeling betrayed.

"Do you two have to inform the whole castle now?!?" Selena yelled, getting up from the spot and grabbing her tray. "I'm going. See you not later."

"You could have denied, darling! Haha… aren't girls lovely when they get so angry?" Selena heard Niles say as she exited the mess hall stomping her feet on the ground, and Odin's gasp of realization was clearly audible even from that distance.

_I hope you all choke._


End file.
